It is ideal to have a data dictionary whenever you have quantitative data that will be used and shared by multiple people or groups. Without precise definitions, it is very easy to arrive at different results while using the same dataset. In this article, we focus on how evaluators can (and should) clarify details about the data being used for evaluation. In other words, how and why build an evaluation-specific data dictionary.

Welcome to our monthly roundup of new and noteworthy evaluation news and resources – here is the latest from August 2021.

In this article, Bonnie shares her account of how to use the RE-AIM framework in your evaluation planning, implementation, and reporting.

I am now finally working on an evaluation that I believe to be true developmental evaluation. The initiative and evaluation is in its early days. Yet, I have already had a very different experience than previous DE (and so-called DE) experiences and learned a number of lessons I’d like to share. In this article, I outline six lessons from my DE experience, including why I think it is true DE.

When I hear “we need a dashboard,” what I hear is “we need relatively current information that we can quickly understand and trust, and we want it on one page.” But a dashboard may or may not be the best way to fulfill that need. Here, I’ll clarify what a dashboard is, and what it isn’t, then provide a checklist you can use to decide if your program or organization needs one.

Curious to know what other tools can support your evaluation consultancy? This article, written by Three Hive Consulting Co-Founder Kristy Madsen, will save you the hours of research and provide you with a list of tools to help run your evaluation consultancy.

You’ve just designed, implemented, and analyzed a client satisfaction survey. Trouble is: clients are not satisfied. Uh oh. No one likes to deliver bad news. However, there are some strategies that will help not only to soften the blow but to make this a rewarding experience.

Welcome to our monthly roundup of new and noteworthy evaluation news and resources – here is the latest from July 2021.

Congratulations, evaluator, you’ve landed a client! Or maybe your organization has selected an evaluator to complete an exciting project. Either way, your next step is a contract for evaluation services. In this post, we list some components you should include, or at least consider, in your evaluation contract.

Welcome to our monthly roundup of new and noteworthy evaluation news and resources – here is the latest from June 2021.

Sometimes managing evaluations can feel like herding cats. Despite your best efforts at nailing down methods, timelines, and other evaluation requirements, plans tend to change, especially if you aren’t paying attention.

Welcome to our monthly roundup of new and noteworthy evaluation news and resources – here is the latest from May 2021.

A good RFP will yield good proposals. Unclear RFPs with overly burdensome submission requirements may drive away highly qualified firms or consultants, and what submissions do come may miss your intended mark. If you’re creating an evaluation RFP, include these elements to get better submissions.

One of the most common things I see when I work data in excel that others have compiled or analyzed is the under-use of Excel’s computational powers. In part, this has to do with setting up your data correctly to all Excel to do the work.

Welcome to our monthly roundup of new and noteworthy evaluation news and resources – here is the latest from April 2021.

While we aren’t able to stop your family and pets from ambling by and needing something from you in the middle of an engaging session, we do have some tips to help you maximize your virtual conference experience. Here are 9 things you can do to maximize your virtual conference experience.

Don’t get us wrong, surveys are useful tools and we’re a fan of any survey platform that makes it easier to use the results. But what about when you want to scratch beneath the surface or present a legible graph that will convince the program director or funder that action needs to be taken? This is where the canned survey tools start to falter.

A blank page can intimidate any writer. The same goes for evaluators – that “evaluation questions” column in your evaluation plan may be daunting. Looking at examples of real-world evaluation questions just might inspire your own.

In this post, we describe how Three Hive Consulting supported the evaluation of a home health monitoring project for patients with chronic conditions.

In the past, I have been guilty of putting any and all data I could into a report. I’m talking pages of charts to show ALL the results. If I’m being honest, in some instances, I didn’t know what the point was. I put in as much detail as I could to shift the burden of deciphering the meaning behind the data to my reader.